Abstract
Although most aspects of world and self-consciousness are inherently subjective, neuroscience studies in humans and non-human animals provide correlational and causative indices of specific links between brain activity and representation of the self and the world. In this article we review neuroanatomic, neurophysiological and neuropsychological data supporting the hypothesis that different levels of self and world representation in vertebrates rely upon (i) a “basal” subcortical system that includes brainstem, hypothalamus and central thalamic nuclei and that may underpin the primary (or anoetic) consciousness likely present in all vertebrates; and (ii) a forebrain system that include the medial and lateral structures of the cerebral hemispheres and may sustain the most sophisticated forms of consciousness [e.g., noetic (knowledge based) and autonoetic, reflective knowledge]. We posit a mutual, bidirectional functional influence between these two major brain circuits. We conclude that basic aspects of consciousness like primary self and core self (based on anoetic and noetic consciousness) are present in many species of vertebrates and that, even self-consciousness (autonoetic consciousness) does not seem to be a prerogative of humans and of some non-human primates but may, to a certain extent, be present in some other mammals and birds
Highlights
Under physiological conditions the experience of returning from the inner world to the outer world as a reflectively conscious, sentient being, with self-awareness, occurs very often
In this article we review neuroanatomic, neurophysiological and neuropsychological data supporting the hypothesis that different levels of self and world representation in vertebrates rely upon (i) a “basal” subcortical system that includes brainstem, hypothalamus and central thalamic nuclei and that may underpin the primary consciousness likely present in all vertebrates; and (ii) a forebrain system that include the medial and lateral structures of the cerebral hemispheres and may sustain the most sophisticated forms of consciousness [e.g., noetic and autonoetic, reflective knowledge]
Given the widely held causal relation between brain and behavior, an important question for psychology, neuroscience and even philosophy is whether and to what extent all the different vertebrate species share the mechanisms involved in the evolutionary emergence of phenomenal experiences to the much higher ability to mentally represent the self as an actor in the world
Summary
Under physiological conditions the experience of returning from the inner world (as in dreams) to the outer world as a reflectively conscious, sentient being, with self-awareness, occurs very often (e.g., every time one wakes up). The third is the problem of making explicit the philosophical positions of scientific investigators of consciousness, since multiple levels of brain-mind control need to be considered Such levels range from anoetic (experience without knowledge) and noetic (experience with knowledge), to autonoetic consciousness which consists of “time travel” where the minds eye can explore in a self-centered perspective past experiences and future hopes and aspirations (see Edelman, 2004). Given the widely held causal relation between brain and behavior, an important question for psychology, neuroscience and even philosophy is whether and to what extent all the different vertebrate species share the mechanisms involved in the evolutionary emergence of phenomenal experiences (including affective, interoceptive, and exteroceptive varieties) to the much higher ability to mentally represent the self as an actor in the world. We discuss homologies, analogies and differences in the way self and world representation manifest in the different vertebrate species
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